Graduating college in less than 4 years

[aprilgail]

Putting aside child prodigies, I've never understood the desire to graduate early. If you have credits, great. Either take fewer classes per term or do a study abroad, or both.

Taking 30,000+ less students loans is a big factor!

 

[McKelly]

Taking 30,000+ less students loans is a big factor!

Amen to that!

 

[LisaR]

Taking 30,000+ less students loans is a big factor!

It wouldn't be $30,000 plus. In the example with my daughter, she added one extra year (had her AA and could have finished in 2.5 years but took one extra year). The only extra cost was living expenses. She didn't take anymore credit hours than a degree requires so there wasn't anything extra for tuition or fees. She lived off campus and that was about $300 a month. Add in another $150 for extras and her extra year cost approximately $5400. I realize that's a lot for some people but it's a far cry from $30k plus.

 

[georgina]

It wouldn't be $30,000 plus. In the example with my daughter, she added one extra year (had her AA and could have finished in 2.5 years but took one extra year). The only extra cost was living expenses. She didn't take anymore credit hours than a degree requires so there wasn't anything extra for tuition or fees. She lived off campus and that was about $300 a month. Add in another $150 for extras and her extra year cost approximately $5400. I realize that's a lot for some people but it's a far cry from $30k plus.

So she was on a full tuition scholarship? You paid no tuition for that extra year at all? Not everyone has that advantage.

 

[pryncess527]

I worked with a lot of students who made it a priority to finish in 3 years. Some did it with AP, most with summer classes. We even designed a path to graduation for the degrees my department offered to show students how they could finish the BA in only 3 years (with full summer registration).

 

[Pacolovestacos]

Taking 30,000+ less students loans is a big factor!

It wouldn't be that much. And not everything is about money.

 

[mom2rtk]

It wouldn't be that much. And not everything is about money.

For some families it has to be a big piece of the puzzle.

 

[LisaR]

So she was on a full tuition scholarship? You paid no tuition for that extra year at all? Not everyone has that advantage.

I'm not sure what difference that makes. A degree is roughly 120 credit hours give or take. She had her AA. She needed another 60 credit hours at the university. She changed her major after the first year so there were a few extra unnecessary classes in there, but that would have been the case regardless with a change in majors. In 3.5 years, we paid for 60-ish credit hours. Because she took that extra year didn't mean she took extra classes.

 

[Skippy918]

I knew one girl from my high school who graduated early. I think she finished in less than 3 years and then went to law school. In my college, I didn't know anyone who graduated early. It was an engineering school and some graduated in 4 years and the rest 5 because of co-op. I did have a few friends who overloaded and got their masters degrees at the same time. This was late 90s.

 

[mom2rtk]

I actually graduated a trimester early back in the day (I tested out of (and was given credit for) some math classes and took a couple summer classes back home at a much lower cost). Our high school didn't have AP or dual credit at the time.

1/3 of a year's tuition was no small deal.

 

[DVC-Don]

I did my bachelor in three years. Two years community college for an associates, then transfered for the last year. That last year I took two courses in the summer then went full time days + two courses per semester nights at the same time and CLEP'd three courses (two literature and one law). Paid cash for the community college and borrowed for the last year. I also commuted to both colleges.

 

[Mrs. Ciz]

Putting aside child prodigies, I've never understood the desire to graduate early. If you have credits, great. Either take fewer classes per term or do a study abroad, or both.

The cost savings can be substantial. And for many, that is an important piece of the puzzle.

Taking 30,000+ less students loans is a big factor!

It wouldn't be $30,000 plus. In the example with my daughter, she added one extra year (had her AA and could have finished in 2.5 years but took one extra year). The only extra cost was living expenses. She didn't take anymore credit hours than a degree requires so there wasn't anything extra for tuition or fees. She lived off campus and that was about $300 a month. Add in another $150 for extras and her extra year cost approximately $5400. I realize that's a lot for some people but it's a far cry from $30k plus.

I'm not sure what difference that makes. A degree is roughly 120 credit hours give or take. She had her AA. She needed another 60 credit hours at the university. She changed her major after the first year so there were a few extra unnecessary classes in there, but that would have been the case regardless with a change in majors. In 3.5 years, we paid for 60-ish credit hours. Because she took that extra year didn't mean she took extra classes.

I think the other posters were trying to answer the first poster's question - why would someone want to graduate early? They are saying it would be nice to graduate early because then they wouldn't have to pay college tuition for 4 years. Tuition, room & board at my DS's school is $26000 a year. If he had done the dual enrollment program through our public high school (which is FREE), he would have gone into college with his AA. Then he could potentially earn his degree at the university in 2 or 3 years (depending on his major). That would save me between $52000 and $26000. That's a lot of money!

 

[gemini2727]

My daughter is in her second semester of college, and just became a junior, credit-wise. She had 9 AP classes and some other college credit courses from high school. She'll finish her undergrad in three years, which is helpful since she will be applying to grad school for her intended field. Any time and money saved is helpful!

 

[mom2rb]

My twins didn't have AP or dual credit but they did graduate at 16. One started college the day after he turned 17. The other had 2 surgeries that Fall and followed his brother in January. One son will graduate at 20. The other one has learned the hard way that he can only handle 4 classes a semester. He will graduate a year after his brother, in 4 1/2 years, plus Summer school. I am glad that they graduated high school early and are spending more time in college. They are definitely enjoying themselves, maybe a little bit too much.

 

[Pacolovestacos]

I get the saving money part but I would come back by saying that 4 years in college build lifelong memories and friendships. When I was in college, I noticed a huge jump in maturity between the end of one's sophomore year and senior year. I don't think a lot of kids are ready for the real world after 2 or 3 years. They need the 4.

 

[mom2rtk]

I get the saving money part but I would come back by saying that 4 years in college build lifelong memories and friendships. While I was in college, there was usually a huge jump in maturity between the end of one's sophomore year and senior year. I don't think a lot of kids are ready for the real world after 2 or 3 years. They need the 4.

Some kids don't go to college at all because they can't afford it. Do you really not get how the monetary side of college can be a big issue for some families?

 

[Hikergirl]

I get the saving money part but I would come back by saying that 4 years in college build lifelong memories and friendships. When I was in college, I noticed a huge jump in maturity between the end of one's sophomore year and senior year. I don't think a lot of kids are ready for the real world after 2 or 3 years. They need the 4.

I have to disagree with all of that, college is not the only place to build life long memories and friendships. It isn't the only way to make one ready for the real world either. Maturity comes with many things, 4 years of college is a not guarantee of that, and it definitely isn't the only way a young adult can become more mature.
I never went to college, and I have wonderful lifelong memories from the 4 years after highschool, and I have made some wonderful friends in that time too. Even met dh during time. Living in the real world forced me to mature. Or maybe I was already mature, who knows.
I also know a man who is nearing 50, went to college for about 8 years. He's as immature as you can get

I get what you are saying though, but I think all that depends on the individual. College can help many kids prepare for the real world, but there are many out there already prepared and mature enough to go out there before those 4 years are up.

 

[Katy Belle]

My niece entered college with a lot of hours from AP classes. She graduated in 3 years, but did take classes a summer or two.

 

[Pacolovestacos]

Some kids don't go to college at all because they can't afford it. Do you really not get how the monetary side of college can be a big issue for some families?

You need to read my post again. I clearly said "I get the money part but..."

 

[mom2rtk]

You need to read my post again. I clearly said "I get the money part but..."

I read the "but" as minimizing the monetary concerns. You can only minimize that concern if you have the cash. If you still support the full 4 years in spite of the monetary issues, then you really don't "get" the monetary issues.

A lot of kids go to school on loans. Would you suggest they take loans for building friendships and maturity?